north korean officials suggest they may carry out another nuclear test. they're protesting against aup security council resolution that condemns their recent missile launch. prime minister netanyahu's right-wing coalition wins a narrow victory in israel's general election. a centrist party makes an unexpected strong showing. fulfilling a need in north eastern japan. a woman in one tsunami-hit town opens a hotel so reconstruction

crews can commute less and work more. we'll tell you why she put it on wheels. welcome to nhk world "newsline." people who watch north korea are watching the clock. they say it's only a matter of time before the country carries out another nuclear test. north korean leaders promised to boost their military power in reaction to a u.n. security council resolution condemning their recent rocket launch. security council members passed the resolution unanimously. it expands existing sanctions adding four individuals and six organizations, including the space agency. assets will be frozen and the individuals will also face a travel ban. officials in the pyongyang are showing defiance. foreign ministry representatives issued a statement condemning the resolution as an attempt to deprive north korea of its right to launch a satellite for peaceful purposes. the document says it is now clear the u.s. has a policy of hostility toward north korea.

as a result, it says the north will no longer recognize the joint statement from the six-party talks in 2005. that includes plans for the country to abandon all nuclear weapons and programs. the statement goes on to say north korean authorities will take practical steps to strengthen their defensive military power to cower pressure from u.s. sanctions. it says that includes nuclear deter represents. the wording suggests north korean officials could conduct a third nuclear test. they carried out one in 2006 and one in 2009. all of this has made the situation in east asia even more uncertain. kengo has spent years tracking developments on the peninsula. how likely will north korea go ahead with this nuclear test? >> gene, i think they will. unless the u.s., japan and south korea and ordinations take extra measures to persuade them to

hold off. for example, if american diplomats offer direct talks. north korean authorities have so far carried out two nuclear tests. in both bases, those tests followed a u.n. security council resolution or presidential statement punishing them for missile launch. it's become something of a cycle. the north koreans launch a ballistic missile, the u.n. reacts, officials carry out a nuclear test. the same process seems to be under way again. >> what's behind north korea's intentions with -- in the face of so much international pressure? >> yes. i think the use of these launches and nuclear test to keep a level of control in the negotiations with the u.s. the ultimate goal is to have ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. they think that will put them on

a more even footing with the americans. it's like an insurance policy. but it doesn't just help the north in their dealings with other nations. lead are jim john uncarries out actions to cement his power at home. the country's economy is stagnant. most people subsist on a minimum amount of food. authorities use these launches and nuclear tests to calm these people. north korea is a great country. they even separate them, as we saw last month. as time goals on, kim's scientists and engineers will gain more knowledge and his military will become more powerful. diplomats need to use talks to counter that. and they need to encourage chinese officials to be more active in the process. >> all right. thanks, kengo. voters in israel have the

ruling right wing bloc now has fewer seats in the the 120-member kanesset. centrist parties and an extreme right-wing parties made gains. vote-counting is nearly finished. the right-wing bloc led by the likud party won the highest number of seats. it will take about 30, down from the 42 it held before the vote. >> translator: thank you for giving me the chance to lead israel for a third time. we must form as large a coalition as possible. i've already started on this mission tonight. >> the centrist yeshitit or

there is a future party, and a stra left labor party, have increased their seats. so did the ultra nationalist habite haihudi or jewish home party. it opposes peace talks with the palestinians. the outcome of israeli election often has an impact on the middle east as a whole. nhk world's akira sahaki watched the sam pain unfold in jerusalem. akira, what has changed in israel? >> well, prime minister netanyahu's ruling coalition remains the biggest bloc in the kanesset and this suggests its hardline policies have gained a certain degree of support despite the stalled peace talks with the palestinians. the jewish home party has made great strides has expected. it's increased its preelection roughly fourfold. the leader flatly opposes even

what netanyahu accepts, a future palestinian state. it's the first time a party with such extreme values has earned this level of support. analysts say concerns hardline politicians were gaining momentum pushed voters to the center. neshitid, which means there is a future, made unexpected gains. party is expected to be the second-biggest force in the kanesset. it campaigned mainly on domestic issues such as correcting economic disparity and reviewing military draft exemptions for ultra orthodox jews. the information we have new suggests the right wing and central and left parties will eh camps in an effort to maintain stability. as he says, he wants to form the largest coalition possible. but the talks could be difficult. >> netanyahu would still be in

charge. how would that affect reltss with the palestinians? >> prospects for peace could be slim if he continues to lead that administration. if netanyahu moves forward with hardline policies, such as building more jewish settlements, it will be extremely difficult to resume talks. israel would also be more at odds with arab countries, such as egypt, which now has an islamist president. and a hardline stance would put a strain on israel's relations with united states and ordinations. >> netanyahu has cited iran's nuclear development as the biggest post-election challenge. how will he deal with that issue? >> his administration has not ruled out a preemptive strike if iran proceeds with its nuclear development. after exit polls projected his victory, netanyahu stressed again that israel must keep iran

in check. >> translator: our biggest challenge remains, preventing iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. >> but if israeli leaders resort to unilateral action in iran, they risk isolation and could further destabilize the region. whatever the composition of the incoming coalition, the focus wa continue to be on what prime minister netanyahu would say and do. >> all right, thanks, akira. nhk world's akira saheki in jerusalem. japanese safety regulators say there's no evidence that battery that caught fire last week in a boeing 787 dreamliner was overcharged. investigators initially speculated excessive voltage sparked the fire, forcing the plane's crew to make an emergency landing in japan. they say the voltage actually dropped at one point. officials with the japan

transport safety board say they need more time to examine flight data. >> translator: we have not observed any irregular high voltage in the battery. we are just starting a thorough investigation. we will continue to work with u.s. safety inspectors to uncover the cause of the failure. >> the let's upion battery was found charred after the dream liner made the emergency landing during a domestic flight. representatives of the kyoto-based manufacturer gsus say an overheated battery could catch fair. investigators say the flight data shows the highest voltage recorded was below the battery's limit and at one point the voltage made a sudden unexploiped drop. the 787 has suffered a series of problems including a similar incident with a battery in the united states. aviation authorities are assessing whether the aircraft

is fit to fly. they've grounded all 787s in operation. boeing executives have halted deliveries of the plane until its safety is confirmed. should they stay or should they go? we're in the talking about the song. that's the question in the uk that could have economic consequences for the country's future. ron? >> very appropriate reference to the uk band's song. could be a theme song for this whole issue. that's because britain's prime minister david cameron says his country will held a referendum before the end of 2017 on whether to stay in the eu. he announced this amid growing calls to leave the european bloc sparked by the ongoing eurozone debt problems. >> i am not a british isolationist. but i do want a better deal for britain. but not just a better deal for britain. i want a better deal for europe too. so i speak as a british prime

minister with a positive vision for the future of the european union. a future in which britain wants and should want to play a committed and active part. >> cameron did emphasize britain should not leave the eu. he insists that staying is in the country's best interests. the japanese government has revised upward its overall assessment of the country's economy for the first time in eight months. the upgrade was due to an improvement in business sentiment stemming from a weaker yen and also higher stock prices. in the monthly report for january released wednesday the government says signs of bottoming out can be seen in some areas of the country's economic activity. that is an improvement from its previous evaluation which stated the economy was showing weakness. the government upgraded its assessment of consumer spending to steady. that is coming at car sales are picking up. the assessment for industrial output was also revise the upward.

the auto sector also contributing to this. let's get a check of the markets now. first taking a look at stocks and we check in first here in asia where we did see a bit of a mixed picture. some corrected moves out there after recent gains. the nikkei average underperformed other asian indices as the recent moderated after the results of the bank of japan's meeting was announced tuesday. honk done down about .1%. here's the picture in europe right now. we're seeing stock prices also fairly mixed there. london is up right now by .1%. we've got gains for the frankfurt market of about .25%. paris' market is declining about .2%. currencies, the dollar losing ground against the yen. we're seeing a pause in yen selling as the outcome of the latest boj policy meeting provided little market direction. dollar/yen at 88.29.

we're seeing the euro is weaker against the yen. euyou're 0/yen at 117.79. the labor union for japan's regional government workers is calling for the withdrawal of the central government's plan to reduce tax grants. the state government wants to cut local tax grants from fiscal 2013 starting this april. it's partly designed to slash regional government workers' wages by an average of 7.8%. the chairman of the all-japan precede tech furl and municipal workers union told reporters wednesday the plan is unacceptable. >> translator: this one-sided policy that the state is going to implement unilaterally has been drafted by skipping all the labor management negotiations. >> tokanaba said local governments are striving to cut workers to deal with the shortage of funds even though

they're faced with more tasks in the their everyday work. he said they include social security issues and environmental protection measures. tokanaga added some municipalities have even pressed ahead with their own wage cuts. that is going to do it for biz tonight. let's get you a check now of the markets. islamist militants may have timed their attack on a gas plant to coincide with an important event. they took hundreds of workers

hostage last wednesday. executives from the companies involved in the gas development had a meeting scheduled for the same day. algerian security forces surrounded the plant after the attack, then they talking their way in. at least 37 foreign nationals died in the operation. three japanese are still missing. one of them is a senior official of the japanese engineering firm jgc corporation. he was scheduled to attend a meeting with officials from the british oil firm bp on the day the hostage siege started. bp leads the gas development project. britain's "daily telegraph" newspaper is reporting a bp vice president from london was killed when the militants attacked. there's speculation someone leaked information about the meeting to the extremists. seven japanese nationals have been confirmed dead. their friends and relatives are expressing their sadness and their anger. nhk world's keiko abe reports. >> reporter: rokuro fuchida, building sites around the world.

he was 64 years old and retired. then his former bosses asked him to lead one more project in algeria. he wrote about it on facebook before he left. >> translator: i'm working all over the world to see the twinkling starlit sky. next i will see the stars from the desert in algeria. >> reporter: his brother heard about the hostage-taking then waited day after day for a call from rokuro. it never came. >> translator: rokuro was kind and a good brother. i just want to hug him. that's the only thing i want to do. >> reporter: fumihiro ito worked

in algeria. he had spent years developing energy resources. he led a project to develop gas fields in the desert. ito came from minamiransiku, a town devastated in the tsunami two years ago. now his 82-year mother lives alone in temporary housing. she says she has no mementos to remember her son. he and his former classmates were planning to get together next month to celebrate their 60th birthdays. >> translator: ito said he would join the party but would not stay overnight because he wanted to visit his mother and stay with her. i want the news to be a mistake. i still think ito will show up at the party.

>> reporter: he was looking forward to seeing his old friend. instead, he and the others will take a moment to remember. keiko abe, nhk world, tokyo. >> seven survivors of the attack will fly home on a government plane. the bodies of the seven victims will also be on the plane. a businesswoman in japan is trying to solve a problem in a place that has no shortage of them. the aftermad of the 2011 tsunami left construction crews in the northeast with plenty to do but few places to stay. workers waste time commuting to job sites. satoko sasaki saw that as opportunity to revitalize her hometown. she built a hotel but one with a twist. >> translator: welcome to el faro. >> satako sasaki is trying to

put the pain of the past behind her. she opened a new hotel last month, carrying on a family tradition. the 2011 tsunami swept away her parents' japanese-style inn. her father died. and her mother is still considered missing. >> translator: i thought i must do something for onagawa and other areas hit by the disaster. there was only one way to go, and that was forward. >> reporter: el faro, which means lighthouse in spanish, is now serving as a book con. she built a 48-room hotel with financial support from the government. there are beds, a bathroom, even a tv, just like a hotel room. but the similarities end there. the view from outside these

accommodations doesn't look anything like a hotel. instead of a foundation, el faro sits on a trailer. sasaki decided to build this hotel on wheels to maneuver around the rules. japanese law puts restrictions on construction in areas hit by the tsunami. sasaki wanted to help spur on the reconstruction effort by providing shelter for some newcomers. hundreds of workers and volunteers are rebuilding the town. until lately, there weren't enough rooms for them. >> translator: i'm involved in the surveys for moving city buildings to higher ground. this area has very few the hotels close to my job and that's a big help. >> reporter: el faro has already

accommodated hundreds of guests. sasaki says reservations of coming in from across the country. >> translator: we've received a lot of support from people in miyagi prefecture and beyond. even from people overseas. and that's really lifted our spirits. >> reporter: her hotel is also helping the regional economy. it has created new jobs for people who are living in temporary housing. >> translator: i wanted to be active because of it was so frustrating staying in my temporary house all day. i'm very grateful. >> reporter: and guests who'd have had to stay in another town are now staying in onagawa and spending money in its shops and restaurants.

>> translator: i hope those guests will visit our restaurant. >> reporter: giving other businesses and the regional economy a boost has always been part of sasaki's plan. >> translator: i hope our hotel serves as a light that casts its bright and heartwarming glow on others. >> reporter: opening el faro helps sasaki recover from a personal crisis. she now wants her hotel to be part of her hometown's recovery, a process she's determined to see through. nhk world, onagawa, japan. >> looks like another winter storm is on the way to japan. rachel ferguson is here with more. >> yes, we are going to be seeing another return to winter up across northern japan. this is the low we're going to be watching for development. not doing too much now but it's

going to pain power across the sea of japan and move into hokkaido delivering another round of heavy snow and bringing strong winds which means that snow's going to be buffeted around. low visibility then and there could be some trouble with traffic and driving certainly. now, the southern half of the country is going to remain dry but will be impacted by the cold breeze. i say breeze. really icy air i should say that comes down with that new system. so you will notice a drop in temperatures across much of the country. the continent is looking dry, just a few showers popping up here, down across southern portions of china. to the north some of that will be snow. it's nothing particularly inconvenient. you'll see widespread fog though. further toward the south we were talking about widespread flooding in portions of the southern philippines. while the rain that caused that persistent just days of rain that caused the flooding is going to be tapering off tonight. there still will be the chance of scattered thunderstorms.

manila 30 forecast for thursday. up to 15 in chongqing. 11 forecast for tokyo thursday. ulan bator minus 15 is your forecast high. australia, we were talking about that tropical cyclone oswald last week. it's now a remnant low but it's still causing a problem, bringing heavy rain, picking up all that moisture from the coral sea and dumping it here in the northeastern coast of queensland. you can see where the heaviest rain is going to be following that pink blob as it heads further south. in the worst-hit places you'll see about 400 millimeters of rain. enough to cause real damage with flooding. on we go into the americas. and once again, we are going to be finding pretty dry skies across much of the continent. that will change across the west. we have this cold front getting ready to move in which is a very good piece of news for you in the northwest. you've been dealing with stagnant air problems and lots of low clouds. that helps clear the air,

bringing you showers at the coast and mountain snow, 5 to 10 centimeters. nothing too, too heavy. out towards the north and east, again, extreme cold impacting the upper midwest and much of canada as well. take a look at some of those sub-zero highs. new york city minus 7. minus 3 in d.c. minus 6 in chicago. with minus 25 in winnipeg. on the other side of the jet stream, a warming trend, sumner l.a. at 24. 19 in denver on wednesday. let's take a look at europe. things are looking clearer in many parts of the continent. across central portions and even into the uk as well, you're not really going to be finding any snowfall here today which is certainly a very welcome break. but this storm here across the mediterranean is just getting ready to dump a lot of heavy snow across italy and also the balkan peninsula. in behind it there's yet more snow and sleet towards the south across the iberian peninsula, although you will start to see

things clearing out by friday. let's take a look at temperatures across europe. minus 9 on wednesday. minus 11 in moscow. minus 6 in kiev. still warm in athens. i think that's going to drop as we see cooler air spill into the southeast. out toward the west too in london with 3 degrees in paris. here's your extended forecast. we'll be back in 30 minutes with more news. i'm gene otani in tokyo. from all of us here at nhk

world, thanks for joining us.